Issue with applications not running since Avast6 Upgrade

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I have a Windows 2003 network and since upgrading to the free version of avast 6 from version 5 i have been noticing some issues where applications are crashing on trying to open. All the machines are Windows XP with SP3 installed. I have noticed that applications like Notepad or Microsoft Excel, running msconfig or services.msc from the run command, and most recently today ipconfig from the command prompt. In all cases the failing application worked correctly after disabling or removing avast 6.

There were cases where avast would not allow me to remove it from the control panel so i had to use the removal tool. Machine with this problem were both upgrades (avast 5 to avast 6) and fresh install of avast 6.

All the machines have been running Symantec Endpoint with Avast alongside it. Does the new version of Avast have any issue with Symantec now?

2

I don’t use Symantec Endpoint but unfortunately I would say yes there would be issues as you are running two antivirus programs simultaneously. What you are experiencing appears like a classic case of two security programs conflicting with each other. Both these programs perform many of the same tasks i.e. antivirus, antimalware, behavior shield, heuristics, rootkit, etc.

Here is a link showing the Avast system requirements. http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download#tab2

At the bottom it states, “Please also note that avast! will not run properly if you have other antivirus software on your PC.”

I have attached a screenshot of this.

3

As previously posted, you cannot run 2 AV’s at the same time.

I suggest that you run the Symantec Uninstaller Tool from the vendor:

Download and run the Norton removal tool from here to clear them http://us.norton.com/support/kb/web_view.jsp?wv_type=public_web&docurl=20080710133834EN

Since Symantec is known to leave remnants behind, you can also go into Safe Mode (hit F8 repeatedly upon boot up), once in Safe Mode go to Advance Search > enter “sym” into the search box and see if anything comes up. Do the same but type in symlcbrd.sys , which is a Symantec Core Service BIOS reader. Do it again but type in Symantec, and again but type the name of the product you had installed. If you are uncertain of the files that come up on the search, right click on the file to show you Properties and you can tell if it belongs to Symantec…if it does you can delete it then empty your recycle bin and restart your machine.

Reboot your machine.

If you have problems with Avast after this, do an Avast Repair:

  • Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Avast Antivirus.
  • Scroll down and choose Repair function in the pop-up window.
  • Reboot.

Let us know if this fixes the problem. Thank you.

4

I have been running Symantec Endpoint and previous versions of avast side by side for just less than 2 years without any problems. Its only since the upgrading to version 6 that i have noticed problems. Well i guess i will just have to remove avast from those machines that i have upgraded. I still have some machine with the older version but i guess eventually auto update will upgrade them.

5

You CANNOT run two anti viruses side by side period. Its called over lapping security and actually makes you more prone to infections.

6

Try disabling the Avast Behavior Shield.

I had the exactly same problem on Win 7 Home Premium, 64-bit, only other security sw I have is On-line Armor FW. No problems before Avast 6 upgrade, just about nothing working (Appcrashes all over the place) after the upgrade. Disabling the Behavior Shield solved the problem for me, so from my point of view this is definitely an issue with Avast 6.

7

You are running a firewall and an av. He is running 2 av’s. Also OA has HIPS which can interfere with any behavior blocker. You should not use both together. Better to understand the products you use before pointing the finger.

8

I understand I have been using different versions of these two products side by side for years and never had any problems until Avast 6. That’s plenty enough proof for me.

9

The older versions of avast didn’t have the BhS before, Dieselman is correct in his statement to you.
You can add OA exe application’s to the BhS trusted processes to make them run together if you wish, your choice.

10

he actually is correct. I disabled it on a machine that notepad was crashing on and it opened without problems. I told it permanently disable behaviour shield but for some reason after the machine restarted the problem came back.

11

you could go to uninstall avast and choose to remove the Behavioral shield.

12

Hence the problem with overlapping security. So its not Online Armor’s fault nor is it Avast’s fault. When somebody combines programs together this is what happens before reading up on what each program does and its features.